BRIEF 25
January 2005
ICOM – International Council of Museums
ICAMT – International Committee for Architecture and Museum Techniques
Chair:
Diana Pardue, Statue of Liberty National Museum, Ellis Island
National Park Service, New York, NY 10004, USA
Tel.
1 212 363 3206 x150
Fax.
1 212 363 6302
Email diana_pardue@nps.gov
Secretary:
Marja-Liisa Pohjanvirta, Finnish Museums Association
Annankatu 16 B 50, FIN-00120 Helsinki, Finland
Tel.
(358-9) 5841 1723
Fax.
(358 9) 5841 1750
Email marja-liisa.pohjanvirta@museoliitto.fi
Treasurer:
Han Meeter
Anna Blamanhof 9
2343 KT Oegstgeest, The Netherlands
Tel.
31 71 5174631
Fax
31 71 5171722
Cell
31 6 55116643
Email projectb.meeter@tiscali.nl
Editor:
Barry Lord
LORD Cultural Resources Planning & Management Inc
301 Davenport Road
Toronto, Ontario Canada M5R 1K5
Tel.
1 416 928 9292
Fax.
1 416 928 1774
Email. blord@lord.ca
ICAMT Website
1) http://www.culture.gr/2/21/215/21506/wicamt98.html
2) http://www.icom.org/internationals.html#icamt
BRIEF 25
January 2005
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Invitation to ICAMT 2005 meeting in Washington, D.C. ............................................................ 3
ICAMT Annual Meeting 2004, ICAMT Annual Meeting Minutes ................................................ 4
ICOM 2004 SEOUL, ICAMT Symposium, Keynote Presentation
Keynote Presentation on the Construction of the New Nat'l Museum of Korea ＆
A Proposal of Museum Complex in Seoul.
by Sang Woo Suh, Korea, Emeritus Professor of the Kook Min Univ.,
Emeritus President of the Korean Inst. of Museum Architecture .............................................. 5
Finland’s Oldest Museum Reopened
by Marja-Liisa Ronkko, Ph.D.
University Lecturer in Museology, University of Helsinki ........................................................ 15
The Variety of Participation and Experiences in Urban Museum Facilities
by Barry Lord, Vice-President, LORD Cultural Resources Planning and Management Inc. .. 16
Is Identity an Issue in Exhibition Design?
Yani Herreman
CIEP. Facultad de Arquitectura
UNAM, Vice President, Executive Council. ICOM .................................................................. 21
Plan: Worldwide Online Platform On Exhibition Making
Initiative Group Exhibition Platform ......................................................................................... 25
We apologize to the authors whose papers have not been included in this brief.
We will, however, include them in the next issue of the brief.
BRIEF 25
January 2005
ICAMT 2005
24 - 26 February 2005
Washington, D.C. USA
International Committee for Architecture and Museum Techniques
Annual meeting of ICAMT
Theme: Building Museums
in collaboration with the Mid Atlantic Association of Museums
A Mid Winter Symposium, bringing together architects, museum leaders,
funders, city planners and other professionals to share and learn from
experiences in the new construction, the renovation and the expansion of
museums.
Venue: National Building Museum, National Museum of the American Indian,
US Holocaust Museum
ICAMT Contact: Diana Pardue, Chair, ICAMT
Statue of Liberty NM, Liberty Island, NY, NY 10004
tel: 1-212-363-3206 x150; fax: 1-212-363-6302;
email: diana_pardue@nps.gov.
MAAM Contact: John T. Suau, Executive Director, Mid-Atlantic Association of Museums,
The Carroll Mansion, 800 East Lombard Street, Baltimore, MD 21202-4511
tel: 1-410-223-1194; fax: 1- 410-223-2773;
email: director@midatlanticmuseums.org
To register, go to this web site: http://www.altrue.net/site/midatlantic/
Presented in collaboration with the National Building Museum and features the National Museum of the American
Indian.
The symposium will bring together architects, museum leaders, funders, city planners and others in the field to
share and learn from experiences in new construction, renovation, and expansion of museums.
Topics such as master planning, financing, community engagement, cultural tourism, technology, and public-private
partnerships will be presented. There will be several keynote speakers, interactive sessions, focused roundtable
discussions, and plenty of time to network with other professionals in the field regarding museum building projects.
The symposium will also highlight some of the new building projects in the region, including the new NMAI and The
City Museum.
The symposium will be held in Washington D.C., a city rich with new museum projects such as the International
Spy Museum, the City Museum, the Smithsonian Udvar-Hazy Center and Dulles Airport, and the National Museum
of the American Indian which will soon open to the public on the National Mall. Close to 20 new museum projects
are scheduled to open in the D.C. area in the next decade. If your museum is planning a new building project, this
program will provide a variety of important ideas for your future. You will hear about bold strategies for creating a
successful program as well as practical advice to assure long-term success.
3
BRIEF 25
January 2005
d. New projects
Berit Berge introduced a project proposed by Toril
Mugaas about sponsoring a popular version of the
thesis, “Exhibitions” from Jan Hjort (Riksutställningar,
Sweden). The production cost of 100 copies in
English is estimated to ca $3.900. ICAMT would
receive copies for distribution or for sale.
ICAMT Annual Meeting 2004
ICAMT Annual Meeting Minutes
Wednesday 6th October 2004 at 13.00-16.30, Jupiter
Room, Intercontinental Hotel, Seoul, Korea
Chair:
Secretary:
Present:
Diana Pardue
Marja-Liisa Pohjanvirta
Diana Pardue, Barry Lord, Han
Meeter, Myung Won Chung, Berit
Berge, Marja-Liisa Pohjanvirta, KIMA
members
The proposal was discussed and approved that
ICAMT could apply for special project money from
ICOM for this purpose. Inquiries will be made about
ICOM selling this publication.
Han Meeter introduced his project "Platform" (this
paper was presented at the conference and is
included in the Brief). ICAMT is interested in this
project. The project will be discussed more in the
next meeting when more information and some costs
are available.
1. The opening of the meeting
Diana Pardue, ICAMT Chair, welcomed everyone to
the first ICAMT meeting in Asia and opened the
meeting.
2. Apologies for absence:
Richard Dober, Toril Elisabeth
Philippopoulou-Michailidou
Mugaas,
6. Finances
The balance of the budget is 2548,10 euros (3180
US dollars). There were 230 members as of July
2004.
Ersi
3. Adoption of Agenda
The agenda was adopted without amendment.
Major expenses for the past triennial:
4. Approval of Minutes on ICAMT 2003 Meeting
The Minutes, published in Brief 24, from the ICAMT
2003 Business Meeting, Tallinn, Estonia, were
approved without amendment.
2002 Meeting - $2462, primarily for translation
services and food.
Briefs - $5661, for the past three Briefs
7. Working groups
a. Technical Information
Stephen Cannon-Brookes and Dick Dober continue
to work on this project.
5. ICAMT Business
a. Website
ICAMT has a site on the Internet, sponsored by the
Hellenic Ministry of Culture. The updating of the
website has been a problem, but a new update has
been sent and will be done soon.
b. ICAMT History
Bo Karlsson continues to work on the history of
ICAMT.
b. Brochure
ICAMT received a grant to develop a brochure.
Stephen Cannon-Brookes is working on the brochure.
8. 2005 Meeting
A proposal was made and adopted that the 2005
meeting would be held in connection with the
symposium "Building Museums" in Washington, DC
24. -26.2.2005, organized by Mid-Atlantic Association
of Museums and the National Building Museum.
Further
information
is
available
at
http://www.altrue.net/site/midatlantic/
c. Brief
There was a discussion about the costs of Brief (i.e.
translation, mailing, etc.). The chair and Barry Lord
will discuss the budget and set a budget for future
briefs.
Barry Lord will continue as editor of the study series.
The members discussed possible locations for the
2006 meeting. One possibility is Shanghia, China;
some inquires will be made if desirable.
4
BRIEF 25
January 2005
9. Election of Chair, Secretary, Treasures, Board
Diana Pardue was elected as the chair, Marja-Liisa
Pohjanvirta as the secretary and Han Meeter as the
treasure.
10. Resolutions
ICAMT greatly appreciates KIMA coordinating the
ICAMT meeting during the 2004 ICOM meeting in
Seoul and looks forward of to a long working
relationship with KIMA.
Christopher Hudson, Barry Lord and Ersi
Philippopoulou were elected as board members for
the second period.
11. Closing Remarks.
The Committee concludes by forwarding its sincere
gratitude to KIMA for the successful conference and
the well arranged ICAMT annual meeting.
The Chair proposed that Myung Won Chung who
organized the 2004 ICAMT Conference in Seoul
should be nominated to the Board. This was
unanimously agreed. She also thanked Myung Won
Chung and KIMA for the hard work they had put into
the organisation of the ICAMT conference and its
events.
12. The meeting closed.
The meeting was closed at 16.30.
Diana Pardue
Chair of ICAMT
Bo Karsson from Jönköping County Museum,
Sweden, Toril Elisabeth Mugaas UiO, Etnografisk
Museum, Norway and Myung Won Chung from
Korean Institute of Museum Architecture in Seoul
were nominated as new members of the board. The
Board will remain in post until the 2007 Conference in
Vienna.
ICOM 2004 SEOUL, ICAMT Symposium, Keynote Presentation
Keynote Presentation on the Construction of the New Nat'l Museum of Korea ＆
A Proposal of Museum Complex in Seoul.
by Sang Woo Suh, Korea
Emeritus Professor of the Kook Min Univ.,
Emeritus President of the Korean Inst. of Museum Architecture.
1.
I think the museum architecture has leaded the
architectural culture of the same age than any kind of
architectural forms because Museum architecture
with the most advanced thoughts has evolved the
architecture.
Prologue
'ICOM 2004 SEOUL' opened in Seoul at the first time
in the Asia region.
This important Int’l Symposium of the Int'l Committee
for Architecture ＆ Museums Techniques ((ICAMT),
one of the 29 Int’l committee, will be co-hosted with
the Korean institute of museum architecture.
In that meaning, I hope this research will be helpful to
plan the large-scale museum architecture in the
future by discussing the development progress of
museum architecture of Korea with the culture
strategy of Korea and museum architecture, and
analyzing
the
architecture
program
and
characteristics of the new Nat’I museum of Korea
which will be the landmark of museum architecture in
the 21st century
The overall title of this events is ‘Museum ＆
Intangible Heritage’, the subtitle of ICAMT is ‘ variety
of participations ＆ experience in the museum
facilities’
5
BRIEF 25
January 2005
Also, the purpose and meaning of this research is to
propose the construction of the compound culture
complex on about 820 acres in Yong San area, Seoul,
like many western cities where have built up the
museum complex including the existing war memorial
of Korea and the Nat’l museum of Korea being built
up now, for the purpose of booming up the cities and
using it as travel resources, if the USA military base
is relocated in the future
2.
2.
After 5.16 military revolution, the culture measure of
the government was sprouted slowly in the middle of
stimulating the reconstruction of the Korean culture
arts under the motto of “The Reconstruction” in
each organization.
At this time, the outstanding point was the legislations
for culture and ‘The simplification of the culture
administration organizations’, but it regarded as the
wandering period because there is no obvious
direction and investment sources.
The Culture Strategy and
Museum Architecture in Korea
The Culture Policy of Korea
3.
As a result of the rapid economic growth and the
increase of GDP in 1980s, with the enact of the
Culture Promotion Act as a momentum, it was
created with the increase of interests about the
culture and art.
The first 5-years plan for culture and arts
promotion (1974-1978)
This Culture and Arts Promotion Plan was performed
with the main purpose of ①establish the right historic
viewpoints of Korean and create new Korean arts ②
improve people’s culture level by the population and
living of arts ③ activate the Int’l interchange of the
culture and arts.
Especially, with the Asian Games in 1986 and the
Seoul Olympic in 1988 as a momentum, many culture
facilities are planed and built up. It started to increase
with the execution of the local autonomy and the
creation of the department of culture.
The outstanding performance of this period was as
follows;
The full-scale measure for the culture promotion was
realized from 1974 when ‘the long-term plan project
for the culture and art promotion’ started in October
20, 1973 after the ‘culture and art promotion address’
The culture policy of Korea is classified largely into ①
The confusing period. ② The wandering Period ③
The first 5-years plan for culture and art promotion.
1.
The Culture Policy of the Wandering Period
(1961-1972)

It made cornerstones for expansions of culture
and arts promotion fund by inducing the
contribution from individuals or companies with
the exemption of income tax and corporate tax
about the contribution and the exemption on the
money for the manuscript or a prize money.

It performed the success and development of
culture heritage like the classical music
development, the success and supply of
intangible cultural properties, the establishment
of Classical Music High-School, the secure of the
performance of classic music team and etc.

Supporting activities, for the activities of arts
creation; increases of the money for the
manuscript, increasing printing of the culture and
arts creation activities, diverse prize events was
performed.

The oversea display of culture heritage, like
‘Korean Painting 5000 Years’ held in Tokyo(1976)
and
America(1979),
and
the
oversea
performance of the Korean art performance
group, these oversea culture activities was
carried out actively.
The Culture Policy of the Confusing Period.
(1948–1960)
When the USA military administration officially
authorized the Korea government, Korea art
exhibitions began, the Nat’l Theater and the Classical
Music Institute of Korea was established.
From 1950 to 1953, Korea experienced the
confusing period during the Korean war, the Culture
Protection Act which decided the establishment and
management of the science and art center was
enacted in 1952, the publishing work managed by the
Public Relation Department was transferred to the
Department of Culture and Education, and the
Literary Properties Act was enacted in 1957.
6
BRIEF 25
January 2005
The seminar, ‘The Korean Museum for Korea
Rehabilitation’, held by the Korean Institute of
Architects (Chairman: Jung, In Gu) kindled the big
interest from architects society in 1975.
4.
The basic plan research to construct the first largescale Nat’l Natural History Museum started in 1996,
but stopped now. The Nat’l Museum of Korea was
relocated to the temporary building, because of the
destruction of old Chosun government general
building on august 15, 1996. The government
proclaimed 2000, new welcoming millennium, as ‘The
year of new arts’ and showed the culture willing of the
government by exceeding 1% of the budget in culture
part.
1980’s
The Museum Act was enacted in 1984, promulgated
in 1985, and then the performance of museum rule
was made. When the economic rehabilitation was
somewhat completed and national economy was
stable by the 5th Korean government, relatively,
outstanding point was demands for the culture. The
government proclaimed the culture renaissance and
carried out a large- scale culture architecture project.
‘The installation of art decoration works’ rule applied
to new large buildings was made at that time.
The Museum Architecture of Korea
It started with Changgyeong palace in 1908 and
experienced many wondering time. At last, the Nat’l
Museum of Korea (current, the Nat’l Folk Museum of
Korea) was newly built in Kyoengbok Palace in 1972.
Because it can’t satisfy the role as the Nat’l Museum
of Korea, it was relocated to the capitol building. (Old,
Chosun government general building) after
increasing and repairing. But it is considered as
‘remains of the Japanese colony’, the capitol building
should be destroyed, then museum relocated to the
Yongsan area. The new building plan of the Nat’l
Museum of Korea will be the 6th largest world class
museum architecture began from 1994, the awarded
design was elected through the Int’l design contest, it
is being built up for the purpose of opening in
October 2005.
The 6th government created the Department of
Culture in 1988 (The 1st Minister: Lee, Eu Ryeong) to
accelerate the culture policy of the last government.
So, the culture could be independent from the policy
process.
The concept to reborn the Asian Games in 1986 and
the Olympic Games in 1988 from simple Int’l athletic
events to culture festivals made the national support
for culture easy. Furthermore, the government
considered the support for diverse culture
organization and policy supports for people’s
participation.
5.
Also, the recent planned projects are Baek, Nam Jun
Museum, Nat’l Science Museum, Kwang Ju
Municipal Museum of Art, Kyeong Ki-Do Museum,
Children’s Museum and SeJong Museum and etc.
The large-scale Nat’l Natural History Museum is
being planed.
After 1990’s
The culture facilities, which are popular after the two
Int’l athletic games, are built up continuously in 1990s,
with the local autonomy, local culture facilities are
planed and built. Especially, the effort to rehabilitate
the local cultures started to make the local free from
the culture dependence to Seoul. But, the central
dependence of local cultures toward was
fundamentally continuous. The public investment for
Nat’l Museum activated from 1970 was evaluated as
the most outstanding performance. After 1990, the
number of the local Nat’l Museum reached at 11, with
the preference of Nat’l Museum type. Especially, the
new construction plan of the Nat’l Museum of Korea
started from 1994 and will be completed in 2005 will
be linked to the 6th largest museum all over the world.
The museum status registered at the Department of
Culture in 2003 is as the below <sheet 2-1>
<Sheet 2-1> The museum status of Korea / as of
March, 2003
Public
41
The Museum and Art Gallery Promotion Act was
enacted in 1991, the 5 years plan for the culture
development was established in 1993. The new
construction site of the Nat’l Museum of Korea was
decided at the Yongsan family park and the design is
elected through the Int’l Design Contest and started
the construction work in 1997.
Priva
te
162
University
Total
57
260
There is a museum per 190 thousand people in
Korea, comparatively per 60 thousand in USA, per 45
thousand in France, per 23 thousand in Canada, per
42 thousand in Japan, per 20 thousand in Germany,
per 10 thousand in Basel.
7
BRIEF 25
January 2005
Characteristics of Program
for the New Nat’l Museum
of Korea

The Korean government destroyed the Nat’l Museum
of Korea located at the Capitol building after
increasing and repairing, and decided to build up the
museum in the Yongsan family park. The new plan
research program for museum construction was
started in June, 1994 and finished in April 1995. This
research, which was in charged by the Architect
Institute of Korea was performed in cooperation with
professionals related to museum in many fields, the
whole process for the Int’l Design Contest was
executed under the proctor of the UIA. Korea officially
experienced the process of public subscription for
Int’l Design Contest, as a result had a good chance to
enhance the level of Korean architecture. Also, the
design contest gets the new museum as the most
architecture results. Furthermore, it will symbolize the
history and culture of Korea.

3.





The history section will be displayed in the
way of composing the overall flow of the
culture and history by using the archaeology,
the mankind, folk-ways data directly or
indirectly.
The archaeology section will be displayed by
using mainly the old tomb excavated items
and temple sight excavated items from the
free historic age to unified Shin-La age.
The painting section will be displayed by
using famous work of each age.
The oriental hall will be displayed with works
of Korean neighboring countries like China,
Central Asia, Japan, India, East south Asia
and etc.
The planning exhibition hall will be separated
from the regular exhibition and take the
moving-line system along the gate. But there
are a few occasions to use together.
We will take it as the future research subject.
The safety and the prevention against
disasters should be reviewed.
3. The assumption of architecture program
The main contents of new building program
The basic concept
1. The basic concept






Illuminate the culture and history of Korea
within the stream of world culture
Sublate the previous mixed exhibition system
of history, archeology, painting and
restructure the characteristics of the culture
and painting of Korea.
Assume the whole history of the Korea and
the composition of Korean culture to prepare
the unification of South and North Korea.
Encourage the pride about the past culture
heritage, review social education program,
and enlarge the social education object class.
Even though it is a new museum, it needs to
be considered the enlargement assumed the
leading role in the future museum complex
composition.
The modeling


It is required to have the aesthetic value of
world class based on the Korean culture.
The future plan


2. Main exhibition program.

As a long construction, the separation of
specific function and the environment of each
section must be comfortable.
Classify the aesthetic value and historical
value.
The regular exhibition must be classified into
a history, an archaeology, a painting and a
donation and an oriental section. The basic
exhibition viewing course will be displayed as
the order of lists above, but the optimal
viewing should be possible.
8
If the UAS military base is relocated, it is
require to prepare the conversion as the race
park and consider the link with green zone of
Mt. Nam Park and the Han River Park.
Each functional area relocation <sheet 3-1>
BRIEF 25
January 2005
5. The awarding and treatment for awarded person.
< Sheet 3-1 Functional Allocation >

Net area (㎡)
Rate(%)
4,185
3.8
Exhibition Area
26,390
24.3
Education Area
8,985
8.3
13,725
12.6
10,725
9.9
Maintain Area
8,370
7.7
Other Facilities
9,420
8.7
Public Space
27,000
24.8
Total
108,800
100
Field
Visitor Convenience
Area
Collection and Storage
Area
Research and
Management Area
4.

6. The judgement committee
judgement committee.








and
technical
The performance of design contest
Total public subscription were 854 works
from 59 countries, actual application works
were 341 works from 46 countries.
General review
The methods of design contest and the
qualification of applicants.



The first step winner award US $ 50,000 will
be paid to 10 teams respectively, and the
Passed 5 teams will be in titled to attend the
second step.
The second step winner award The first prize
– 1 point, US $ 50,000+ empowerment of
enforcement design rights. The second prize
– 1 point, US $ 30,000. The third prize – 1
point, US $ 20,000. The residual 2 works US
$ 15,000 each

The form of contest : 2 step
The first step applicant qualification
All architects and designing team including
an architect
The second step applicant qualification
Awarded applicants passed from the first
step who opened the office or attended with
applicant’s office member.
The limits of qualification
The person who attended the program
preparation or the member of organization
related to the judgement committee.
The condition of cooperation
An applicant can cooperate with the
professional of the construction, city design,
gardening museum study, display designer,
technician and etc. The second step
applicant can change the co-worker who
worked with at the initial step.
Admission fee
▫ Korean 160,000 won
▫ Foreigner US $200


9
Design contest program met the requirement,
but it is too detail to suggest the intention of
the designer.
The reason why there are a few outstanding
work in distinctive concept is too busy to
solve the large- scale and complex function.
The information about the characteristic or
location is very disadvantageous to the
foreigner. Information should be dimensional
and supplied in details.
BRIEF 25
January 2005
1. Awarded designers and features of works
Prize
1
Name, country
Kim, Chang Il, Korea
Features of works





2
Christian de
Portzampac,


France
+Kim, Byeong Neon,

Shin, Jae Soon,
Works used complex program appropriately.
As public architecture will represent Korea.
It has the long linear characteristic, the front space directed to the
park entrance, the rear side directed to the park, it will supply the
starting point of museum complex.
Open floor of entrance include Mt. Nam, it segregate the exhibition
area and supporting and public area.
Outdoor exhibition park including ‘mirror pond, was well located by
using Natural geographical features.
All visitors will enter through the center.
To respect the natural environment, free the land surface to
emphasize the horizon, take the natural lights by form the upper floor
exhibition hall as ‘ㅁ’ type
The length of the exhibition hall is very long, the width of the space is
regular, so, it is difficult to change the exhibition space.
Korea
3
Kim, Hyeon Cheol,
Kim, Yong Mi,
Kim Sang sik,
Kim, Seok Ryun



Kim, Hong Sik,
Korea
4

Werner Christen,
Switzerland

+Kwack, Yeong Hyoon,
Lee, Soong Hoon
Korea
5
Salomon Laurent,
France
+ Kim, Hong Il,
Korea




It can be approached from the road by applying structures of outside
space of Korean traditional architecture.
The mass or modeling of architecture are distinguished by taking
their own characteristics.
Especially, exhibition areas are treated as an isosceles triangle,
distinguished form other facilities, the architectural solution for
natural lights is very excellent.
It has strong and simple abstraction by taking the right angle style
which take land use in minimum.
The approach to the building is reached to the cell through high wall,
and linked to the front step area. Obvious function classification and
simple moving-line system is highlighted by allocating the hall by
contradiction to central step.
It looks like a small personal garden than a public area representing
Korea.
It shows functional clearness by cutting the mass in functional area,
and avoid the dense impression.
Exhibition space classify the sectional exhibition by locating the
height of the bottom an the cell.
The structure of the exhibition space is largely exposed, so it may
bring the confusion in exhibition.
 10 
BRIEF 25
January 2005
The outline of design
4. Main finishing material
 Indoor decoration material: 30(THK) limestone
and granite, wooden tile.
 Outdoor decoration material: outer wall is
50(THK) granite smooth trim, the roof is sheet
drainage, 24(THK) double glasses.
1. The outline of Architecture
 Site location: 48 including 168-6, 6th streets
Yongsan_Dong, Yongsan-Gu, Seoul.
 Site area: 307,277.83 ㎡
 Area type: natural green area
 Road condition: the front area 30ｍ, the side
area 30ｍ road planed
 Purpose: exhibition facility
 Structure: iron frame, steel concrete built
 Floor: the ground 6th floor, the underground 1 floor
 The height: 43.08ｍ
5. Gardening
 Gardening area: 187,532 ㎡
6. Others
 Floor height: 8, 7, 4, 4.5, 5.5ｍ
 Cell height: 6, 5, 2.6ｍ
 Elevator: 15 person use 10, truck 6(8 ton 1, 4
ton 3, 680 ㎏ 2)
 Adiabatic material: wall is 100(THK) , roof is
100(THK) adiabatic concrete + 30(THK) spray
cooling and heating type: Convector +
CAV+VAV
2. The scale
 Architecture area: 48,628.90 ㎡
 Aggregate area: 136,335.29 ㎡ (41,241.43)
 The building- to – land ratio: 15.83% (20%)
 Measurement ratio: 37.87% (60%)
3. Parking
 The capacity of parking
 Indoor: 764 (ground: 522, first floor: 140,
second floor: 102)
 Outdoor: bus 78
7.
Each floor area
<Sheet 3-1> Scale and function of each floor
Building
Sub total
Floor
Underground 1floor
Ground 1 floor
Partial 2 floor
3 floor
4 floor
Partial 5 floor
6 floor
133,490.54 (40,380.88)
Underground 1 floor
1 floor
Sum
Underground 1 floor
1 floor
Sum
First floor
Sum
Underground 1 floor
Ground floor
Sum
2,844.75 ㎡
Total
136,335.29 ㎡
Main building
Sub total
Annex (A)
Annex (B)
Annex (C)
Annex (D)
 11 
Scale ㎡
19,258.43
44,801.38
8,191.46
26,694.16
17,164.08
3,077.49
14,303.54
(5,825.68)
(13,552.42)
(2,477.92)
(8,074.98)
(5,192.13)
(930.94)
(4,326.82)
360.46
425.90
786.36
291.53
1,145.41
1,436.94
147.09
147.09
68.94
405.42
474.36
(109.04)
(128.83)
(237.87)
(88.19)
(346.49)
(434.67)
(44.49)
(44.49)
(20.85)
(122.64)
(143.49)
Function
BRIEF 25
January 2005
The Characteristics of the 1st prized work
3. Characteristic of exhibition
 It reflects well the requirement of the program,
especially, the exhibition of history and
archeology section is displayed in parallel, it
helps visitors to understand well.
 There is pocket space where visitors can
understand the basic subject of exhibition,
and the main exhibition work and display
work or detail in heritage are displayed at the
rear side.
 The information search following time flows.
1. Allocation plan
 It has the concept that nature viewpoint of
tradition and the thoughts of architecture of
Korea were modernly interpreted and have
allocation concept consider the Mt. Nam axis
and plan site axis by using the natural
geographical features.
 It is ‘-‘ type construction (length 404m,
average width 60m) equally installed with the
rear border, entrance part is equally installed
with front road, there is a mirror pond
between two relation.
 Mirror pond will give their reflective effect of
main building and collect water of the
surrounding.
 If the USA military base is relocated, the
surrounding area will be converted to the
museum complex and this building will be the
starting point. There is open space in the
right center to pass through the front and the
rear gate. This entry space is like the hall
floors will do roles of connecting space
linking the front space with the rear space, it
is empty space for the beautiful sight of Mt.
Nam. The upper location including the mirror
pond is outdoor garden including the stone
figures museum.
4.
Moving line system and lighting style
 It separated quick moving line to efficiently
the vast display into detail moving line which
help to view the detailed contents.
 The natural light inflows appropriately to the
central mall and painting hall.
5. Modeling
 Unlike the past traditional modeling
expression, modeling of strong mass make
us feel more the Korean characteristic.
 It is stretched like the peaceful old castle with
the background of Mt.Nam.
 It has the feature of the starting point of the
museum complex where will be built up at
this area in the future.
2.
2. The Characteristic of space composition
 It is divided into the exhibition area and other
areas at the center of the ‘open space’ of ‘‘ type long square building.
 The right side building, East Wing is linked to
regular exhibition building through circular
free-zone which has strong inhalation power
 This major space, ‘ the street of history’, like
the mall of the city will include the front hall of
the both side exhibition hall, and Natural
lights will light the whole hall of exhibition
building by falling the natural light from the
cell opened to the upper floor.
 The left side building, West wing is
supporting facilities like planning exhibition
hall, children corner, education, arts and
science hall and etc. It is allowed to manage
facilities without relation to opening hours.
 because it is divided into two big areas, the
location of convenience facilities, arts and
science hall will be the future subject
A Proposal of Museum Complex
in Seoul
The Legitimacy of proposal
A lot of people consider Seoul as an unremediable
city with the concern about the environment of Seoul.
Because Seoul was well kept as the historical capital
over 600 years, but after Korean war, it lose its
identity as the historical city by the unplanned
development and expansion. On time, a lot of people
considered the practical use of the Yongsan military
base respectively with the news that Yongsan military
base will be relocated. Seoul city consider to build up
the large park like the central park in New York, the
very party, but the ministry of the national defense
should think about sales partially to compensate the
related expenses. But the culture space of the
advanced cities or the activation of the Seoul, I think
it is recommendable to compose a few cultural facility
located in the park, the empty space of the central
city.
 12 
BRIEF 25
January 2005
I studied about the Yong San military base with my
students for the longtime, held the related seminar
twice. In the full scale, I addressed that the museum
complex will be built up in the Yong San military base,
like the advanced cities through the keynote
presentation in the Int’l symposium with the title of
“Museum complex ad the City culture landscape’ in
Seoul history museum in September 27, 2002. At the
keyword presentation about “The culture sight of
Seoul’, I addressed that we need to consider more
details about ‘ the practical use of the Yong San
military base.
Second: The Large-scale museum complex will be
condensed and changed into information center.
A lot of western cities have already built up culture
complexes to boom up the city and to use is as travel
resources. As a representative case, Washington
D.C, the center of world politics, was changed as the
center of culture long times ago, Paris where kept the
most advanced culture and arts had built up 10 big
projects finished in 1989, then they can recover the
feature of world culture city.
The object area
Third: If it included Beak Nam Jun museum or hand
embroidery museum which have the Korean identity,
it will be helpful to induce the visitors.
The plan to build up the museum complex in Yong
San Park will be the last chance to save the culture
landscape of Seoul, we should be the Yong San park
keeper, and actively attend the culture landscape
making of Seoul.
The interpretation of wide area
Object area is located around the 4 and 6 Street,
Yong San-Dong, Yong San-Gu, Seoul in the
administrative distraction.
This area is currently used by USA military base, it is
located in the main linkage axis to link main green
zone Mt.Nam, the Han river park and Dongjak-Dong
Nat’l memorial hall.
Also, Showmankay, Frankfrut built the street of
museum, and changed as the city of culture,
especially, Bilbao, in Spain include culture facilities
into the Nervion riverside reconstruction project, then
they raised as the most hopeful sightseeing place by
allocating the Guggenheim museum which tried to
build a network
1. The Condition of City
Yong San has good natural environment of the Han
River and the wide Public area like the Han River
Park, and it is possible to increase the efficiency and
the function as culture space. The approach to this
area is very diverse, it is near to Yong San-Ro, Ban
Po-Ro, Itaewon, Seobinggo-Ro and etc, it is easy to
approach by the subway and public transportation.
This area is one branch of the Mt. Nam, viewing in Mt.
Nam is excellent. Also, Neighboring natural
sightseeing of Mt. Bukhan, Mt. In Wang, Mt. Kwaun
Ak, Mt. Woo Myeon is good.
Furthermore, the Guggenheim foundation tried to
construct new museum at the east port of Manhattan,
but stopped because of the difficulties in financing. If
this project came true, it will be the landmark of the
21st century like opera house in Sydney.
The Guggenheim museum is being build up for the
purpose of opening in 2007 in Rio de Janeiro and will
bring new change. In case of Vienna, it built up the
new museum Quartier, Wein including the existing
museum and to boom up the city and use it as the
travel resource. I hope the compound culture
complex can be composed with the existing war
memorial museum and the Nat’l museum of Korea
which will be opened in 2005 on about 820 acres in
Yongsan area, if the USA military base is relocated.
Yong San culture complex is located at the greenzone axis in linking Mt. Nam and the Han River.
The proposal
1. The occupation object contents
The aggregated occupation contents of the existing
research,(plaza architecture, space architecture),
Question, and case study is < Sheet 4-1>
By the rule of 1 museum per 82 acres, about 10
museums are ideal, but this will be supplemented
from the next research.
First: In the aspect of booming up the city, it will be
changed as culture-oriented city.
 13 
BRIEF 25
January 2005
<표 4-1> The proposal for Yong San Museum Complex contents
Order
Name
1
War Memorial of Korea
2
Nat’l Museum of Korea
3
Natural History Museum
4
Seoul National Science Museum
5
Information& Telecommunication Museum
6
Nat’l Museum of Contemporary Art
7
History & Folk Museum Archeology & Ethnology Museum
8
HQ & Research Center
9
Nat’l Theater
10
Baek, Nam Jun Museum
11
Hand Embroidery Museum of Korea
12
Children’s Museum
others
Design/Architecture Museum
Sculpture Museum
Scale (㎡)
71,690
134,270
98,200
20,000
20,000
34,000
42,000
44,000
20,000
40,000
5,000
5,000
10,000
10,000
비고
Constructed
Building
Planning
Planning
Planning
As current
Proposed
Triple
Mexico
2. Basic assumption
 According to the whole plan, it will be considered
to be converted as the museum complex.
 Museum of each characteristic theme park
and other facilities are assumed.
 Consider the maintenance of individual
independence and linkage of each other.
 It will be the mixed culture complex in the
middle of the structure of linkage the green
zone axis and the Han River Park.
 The upper suggested big contents will be
associated each other and be used for city
activation and improvement helpful to culture
and arts.
 By using the various geographical features
and natural factors, natural geographical
feature must be kept, I hope it will maximize
the effectiveness of land.
 Building allocation needs to take more open
space with the open of surroundings, it is
based on the outdoor exhibition.
 Taking in and out of heritage and service
moving line should be considered.
 For the allocation of new museum, the
reserved land should be considered.
To realize this national subject
5.
Suh, Sang woo, Basic Study To Build Up Mixed
Museum Complex, Kookmin University Collection of
Treatises About Modeling 21, 2002
1. Policy should be set up with the viewpoint of
national culture policy.
2. The department which will unify and perform the
culture related business which is performed by
each department.
3. This project will come true when it is researched
continuously by diverse related researcher.
Based on this content, the museum architecture of
Korea can take new development.
At last, I hope you have the meaningful time to
discuss ‘The Variety of Participations ＆ Experience
in the Museum Facilities’ I appreciate that Mr. Barry
Lord, all presenters and members, and the person
who related to event preparation.
Index
Suh, Sang woo, Changes and Visions of Korean
Museum and Architecture. World Design &
Construction Contest, New Millennium, 2000
Korean Museum Academy, Museum Letter 1, 1998
Epilogue
With the int’l design contests of Nat’l museum of
Korea as a momentum, the museum architecture of
Korea have a good chance to increase in the level up.
In the future, I hope the basic plan research program
for museum construction which should be prepared in
the pre-design step is formed. Also, with new Nat’l
museum of Korea a momentum, I hope that Yong
San area will be built up as the museum complex ,
which will be handed over it to our descendants.
Nat’l Museum of Korea, Research Report of Nat’l
Museum Basic Plan
Nat’l Museum, Collection of Works of the Nat’l
Museum Int’l Design Contest, 1995.
Museum Institute of Korea, Museum & Gallery of
Korea, 2003
 14 
BRIEF 25
January 2005
Finland’s Oldest Museum Reopened
by Marja-Liisa Ronkko, Ph.D.
University Lecturer in Museology, University of Helsinki
The building, designed by Finnish architect C.A.
Edelfelt for the University's chemistry laboratory and
museum collections in 1869, was the largest
construction project undertaken by the University of
Helsinki in the latter half of the 19th century.
In addition to housing the chemistry laboratory and
the professorial residence, the building provided
facilities for the Mineral Cabinet, the Museum of
Ethnography, the University’s sculpture collection, a
music room and a drawing room, exhibition facilities,
modest staff quarters, as well as storage rooms. The
studio in the drawing room was the first of its kind to
be specifically built for the purpose. Arppeanum is the
oldest building in Finland originally designed for
museum use and where a museum more or less has
ever since operated without interruption.
During its history, the University has – like many
other European universities – existed at several
locations. When it was founded in Turku in 1640 by
the regency of Queen Christina, architectural
ambitions were almost nonexistent. “The Royal
Academy” started in a modest gymnasium school
building. The year 1799 saw the start of construction
process to erect the noblest Academy building in the
whole of the Swedish Empire, built in a strictly
neoclassic style.
Over the years, the building has accommodated
various university functions. When the new building
was completed for the Department of Chemistry in
1887, and when the Museum of Ethnography moved
to the National Museum in 1912, facilities became
available for the Department of Agricultural and
Forest Zoology, the Russian Library and the Physics
laboratory. In recent decades, the building has been
occupied by Department of Geology, the
Mineralogical Museum and the dating laboratory.
After the Great Fire of Turku in 1827 the University
was transferred to the new capital of Helsinki by an
imperial edict of Emperor Alexander I. Finland had
become autonomous part of Russia in 1809, and
Emperor – as Grand Duke of Finland – sent his
favourite architect to create a totally new monumental
centre for the town. German born C.L. Engel
designed in a short time during 1830s the main
square with its neoclassical “Empire style” buildings,
including the University's Main Building, the Clinical
Institute, the Observatory and the Library. – Very few
things from the early period had become saved, but
new collections started soon accumulating in Helsinki.
Department of Geology moved to new premises in
2001, and the greatest renovation project in the
history of the Arppeanum building was launched.
Actually, very little repair work had been done during
the history thanks to changing and temporary use: for
instance the staircase and the lecture room were
almost untouched, in their original shape and
condition.
After 30 years existence in Helsinki the University
already needed more space. The advance of natural
sciences, medicine, and empirical and experimental
sciences characterised now and on new construction
programmes. Right after its completion, the chemistry
building became known as Arppeanum, after
Professor and Rector A.E. Arppe, who persistently
campaigned for the launching of the project, which
was fiercely opposed by the academic community, as
it was considered to be too expensive and bombastic.
Helsinki University Museum was established in 2003
by merging the former University Museum
specialising in the history of the University, the
Museum of Medical History, the Museum of the
History of Veterinary Medicine, the Museum of the
History of Dentistry and the Collections of Craft
Science. To complement the new conglomeration of
museums, the Mineral Cabinet, which today belongs
to the Finnish Museum of Natural History, returned to
its original location in the building. The historical
section of the Museum displays objects and materials
related to the teaching, research an administration of
the University of Helsinki through the Swedish and
Russian eras of Finnish history until national
independence.
Arppeanum was one of the six four-storey buildings
in Helsinki at that time. Its façade is marked by
features of the “Roundarches style” prevalent in
Hamburg in the mid-19th century, as well as those of
Venetian palazzo. The most central space of the
building, the richly ornamented cast-iron staircase, is
unique in Finland.
 15 
BRIEF 25
January 2005
“The University Museum will serve as a meeting
place for the entire academic community, thus
allowing staff and students to strengthen the bond
between them and to uncover the historical roots of
their work. It is our hope that the Museum will provide
visitors with a clear and illustrative viewpoint of the
University’s unique significance to Finnish culture”,
were the Rectors words on the inaugural ceremony.
The Variety of Participation and Experiences
in Urban Museum Facilities
Presentation to the Joint Meeting of the Korean Institute for Museum Architecture
and the ICOM Committee for Architecture and Museum Techniques
by Barry Lord, Vice-President, LORD Cultural Resources Planning and Management Inc.
October 2004
5. And in the 20th century, cities have emerged as
communication centres where images prevail,
giving rise to museums in which objects are
secondary to ideas and images, as in Idea
Museums, such as Urbis in Manchester (a
museum about urban civilization) and Interactive
Museums like the Experience Music Project in
Seattle.
When Queen Victoria was first shown around the
newly opened Victoria and Albert Museum, she is
said to have asked why the works of art and artifacts
were being shown as if they were for sale in a shop.
Her observation points to the fact that the perception
of museum collections and their presentation in each
historical period accords with the way in which
objects are perceived in the world outside the
museum. Urban museums in each historical period
conceive of their collections and of the experiences
they offer of them in analogy to the way in which
objects are perceived in the urban world of
commerce. Thus:
At the beginning of the 21st century, it is a bit early for
us to attempt to project a new paradigm. However,
several phenomena are clearly of major importance
affecting the variety of participation and experiences
in urban museums:
3. Museums in mercantile cities of the 18th century
conceived of their collections of specimens and
works of art in the same way as the goods or
products that were being traded around the world,
with raw materials like fish or spices (specimens)
being shipped to market along with goods or
products made by artisans; the result was the
development of the great universal museums
(such as the British Museum) and the
comprehensive art history collections (such as
the Louvre).


4. In the 19th century Queen Victoria’s analogy
prevailed, as commodities manufactured in
factories provided the model for collections of
artifacts in industrial arts museums like the V&A
in London, and in museums of science and
industry such as the Deutschesmuseum in
Munich.

 16 
Cities have re-established themselves as the
essential engines of the economy. While the
nation state has seen its formerly undisputed
power challenged by the growth of the multinational corporation, cities have become
increasingly the real source and center of
economic development.
There is a global need for lifelong learning
that has to be informal if it is to be effective,
since it is a question of learning by adults
who are already in the workplace, not by
children at schools. Museums are one ideal
venue for such learning.
People everywhere are experiencing a
heartfelt need to assert their own local
identities in the fact of increasing
globalization. Museums offer a place where
such identities may be fashioned, mirrored or
criticized.
BRIEF 25



January 2005
the very large building program that had been
conceived, and had to cancel that project;
nevertheless, LACMA is proceeding with the first
phase of its program, being designed by Renzo
Piano.
Contemporary art is no longer avant garde,
but has become mainstream in most cities of
the industrialized world. Along with popular
music, it has become an important means of
expressing individual values, and is
increasingly recognized as such by evergrowing numbers of people worldwide.
Cultural tourism has become the most
dynamic part of the world’s major industry,
tourism. Cities are the most common
destinations of cultural tourists.
Around the world people are participating in
virtual experiences, not only on the net but
also on mobile phones, palm pilots and
similar devices.
Another expansion for which we produced a
Functional Program was the northeast expansion
project of the Art Institute of Chicago, also being
designed by the Renzo Piano Studio.
At the Denver Art Museum, where Daniel Libeskind is
designing the expansion, we reviewed and made
recommendations for the lobby, an increasingly
important place in the museums of the early 21st
century as the functions of the building as a meeting
place for leisure activities become ever more
important.
The response by urban museums to these changes
has been a period of intense activity, which may be
seen as one or more of six trends:

Sheer physical expansion to meet increased
demand, and to keep pace with the growth of
collections

Reassertion of national identities, not necessarily
in opposition to globalization, but as a balance
against
worldwide
homogenization
of
experiences

Decentralization of access to collections,
especially by the formation of branches of
museums with major collections around the world

Playing a significant role in the enhancement of
their cities as cultural tourism destinations

The development of new museum types in
response to a rapidly changing world

And the advent of virtual exhibitions as a means
of providing visual access to images of a
museum’s collection.
The National D-Day Museum is undertaking a large
expansion project, for which we developed a Master
Plan and the Functional Program, before organizing
and administering a national architectural competition
that resulted in the selection of New York architect
Bart Voorsanger, who is designing a series of
pavilions within which the story of America’s
participation in World War II will be told.
At the Manchester Art Gallery in England we
developed the Functional Brief for Michael Hopkins
and Partners architects, who renovated the
Museum’s existing historic buildings, created an
atrium between them, and added an elegant new
wing where contemporary art and temporary
exhibitions are featured.
And of course the best known example of sheer
physical expansion worldwide – but not a project on
which we have worked – is the Museum of Modern
Art in New York, currently under renovation and
construction.
This paper presents examples of each of these
tendencies, most of which are drawn from the recent
museum planning practice of LORD Cultural
Resources Planning & Management, the world’s
largest specialized museum planning firm.
Reassertion of National Identities
Here in Seoul of course you have one of the most
important examples of the reassertion of national
identities as you have torn down a Museum building
that was a symbol of oppression, and have replaced
it with a new National Museum now under
construction, which will become one of the largest
museums in the world. We were privileged to work
with Professor Suh and the Korean Institute of
Museum Architecture (KIMA) on the program for the
international architectural competition, although we
have not been involved since the Korean architect
was selected.
Expansion
One of the best known projects for which we
prepared a highly complex Functional Program in
recent years was the Los Angeles County Museum of
Art – well known because after we had done our
planning work over a two-year period, LACMA
selected an architect, Rem Koolhaas, but then found
it impossible to raise the enormous sums needed for
 17 
BRIEF 25
January 2005
The best-known example is of course New York’s
Guggenheim Museum, which has well-established
branches in Venice and Bilbao. The Guggenheim
Bilbao has been the most spectacular success of
these branches, due in large part to the remarkable
building that Canadian architect Frank Gehry
designed for it. The Museum’s success has led to the
term “Bilbaoification” as an example of the role that a
new urban museum can play in transforming the
image and the reality of an industrial city like Bilbao.
Our firm is currently working on a Strategic Plan for
the Guggenheim Bilbao which is intended to plan into
the next five years for that institution, as it seeks to
maintain and if possible build on its past success.
A less happy example has been the Guggenheim’s
experience in Las Vegas, where one of two related
branch galleries has closed. Nevertheless Director
Thomas Krens and his Board remain committed to
the idea of establishing branches, as their current
proposal to place another branch in Taichung,
Taiwan, indicates. The impetus behind this
development is the understanding that massive
collections are a liability as long as they remain in
storage, but can become an asset if they are
exhibited in branches that make the works of art
more accessible, and at the same time build the
‘brand’ of the Guggenheim worldwide.
A few years ago we were much more deeply involved
in programming the renovation of the building and
especially in planning, designing and installing the
exhibits in the new National Museum of the Filipino
People in Manila, as the National Museum of the
Philippines also responded to this desire for the
reassertion of national identities.
This need to assert national identity is not related
only to the potential of cultural tourism, because we
found it equally strong in Riyadh, where we did the
Master Plan, followed through with exhibition design,
and eventually undertook project management
through to opening day for the Saudi Arabian
National Museum, where tourism was much less of a
motivation than simply asserting the value and
character of the heritage of Arabia.
In Singapore we began as early as 1990 with a
Master Plan for the reorganization of the old National
Museum into three institutions – the Singapore
Museum of Art, the Asian Civilization Museum and
the Singapore History Museum – before going on to
prepare the Functional Building Programs for all three.
Because of the stronger influence of cultural tourism
there, the first two – the Art Museum and the Asian
Civilization Museum – have thus far been completed
and successfully opened, while the Singapore History
Museum is still under development.
Equally spectacular has been the success of the Tate
in dividing its Museum in London into two branches –
Tate Britain and Tate Modern, both of which have
been our clients. The Tate also has branches in
Liverpool and St Ives, which allow it to make parts of
its collection accessible to a wider audience within
Britain, and at the same time to reinforce the appeal
of its ‘brand.’ Most remarkable here has been the
success of Tate Modern in establishing contemporary
art as a popular mainstream rather than an avantgarde phenomenon, drawing crowds that have far
exceeded projections. Contemporary art now
appears to many as a symbol of freedom of
expression, especially among young people, that
may rival pop music.
This concern for reassertion of national identities is
by no means confined to Asia. We have recently
been able to contribute to the planning for a major
new Art Museum of Estonia, being designed by the
Finnish architect Pekka Vapaavuori. The new
museum will for the first time present the entire
history of Estonian art in the context of international
contemporary art exhibitions.
A comparable development – but one where we have
not been involved – is the new German History
Museum in Berlin, a challenging expression of the
complexity of German history in the context of
Europe today.
The Hermitage has followed the example of the
Guggenheim with international branches, while the
Pompidou Centre is currently following the example
of the Tate by planning a branch in the northern
French city of Metz.
Decentralization of
Access to Collections
Another response by urban museums to the changes
of the early 21st century has been to make their
collections more accessible by establishing branches
for visitors elsewhere.
An interesting example here in Asia is the National
Palace Museum in Taipei, for which we are currently
planning a new south-central branch at Taibao in the
province of Chiayi. The Southern Branch of the NPM
is to have a pan-Asian focus, relating Taiwan to the
whole of Asia, rather than just to China as in Taipei.
 18 
BRIEF 25
January 2005
In Vienna the former royal stables across the road
from
the
famous
Kunsthistorisches
and
Naturhistorisches Museums has been developed as
a complex of museums and other cultural attractions
called collectively the Museumsquartier. Our firm’s
work here was to assist the Austrian architects
Ordner & Ordner with the transformation of one of the
former stable buildings into the new Kunsthalle Wien,
and to help in the planning of Zoom!, the very
successful children’s museum whose first director, Dr.
Claudia Haas, is now one of our senior consultants.
Enhancing Cities as Cultural
Tourism Destinations
Glasgow is the city that may be said to have
pioneered the conscious development of its cultural
resources as a means to stimulate cultural tourism.
When I served as Curator of Glasgow’s Glasgow, the
large exhibition that was at the heart of Glasgow’s
year as European City of Culture in 1990, I was able
to recognize that this was the beginning of a new
relationship between cities and their museums. In
fact, our subsequent work in planning the new
national museums in Singapore sprang from the
Singaporeans’ determination to emulate the
achievement of Glasgow, which has been sustained
with a series of new museums over the years, as the
city has transformed its image from a 19th-century
industrial giant to a 21st-century centre of cultural
communications.
Among Asian cities, Hong Kong is especially
conscious of its role as a cultural tourism destination,
so it is not surprising that we have also been active
there, helping to plan a proposal for several of the
museums and related attractions that are proposed to
be part of the West Kowloon development, including
a major new Museum of Modern Art. The Hong Kong
government is currently considering the proposals,
and is expected to announce its determination of
whether or how to proceed shortly.
Within the United Kingdom the city that has most
consciously followed the Glasgow example is
Manchester, where again our firm has worked
extensively. We helped to develop the concept of a
museum dedicated to the works of L.S. Lowry, who
painted his scenes of working life in the industrial
suburb of Salford, and then went on to produce the
Functional Brief for the dramatic new building
designed by British architect Michael Wilford, which
won the award as the best British building of the
Millenium Year 2000. The Lowry, which contains two
outstanding theatres and a children’s gallery as well
as the permanent collection and temporary exhibition
galleries, is situated on the canals that first led to
Manchester’s prosperity, bringing ships to carry
Manchester’s textile manufactures throughout the
world in the 19th century. Now the city has placed
across a magnificent bridge over the canal another
cultural tourist attraction, the Imperial War Museum of
the North, another example of decentralization, since
it is a branch of the Imperial War Museum in London.
New Museum Types
Since the previous three centuries of museum
development led to new museum types, it is not
surprising that the many changes occurring as we
enter the 21st century are also leading to the
generation of new types of museums.
One interesting development is a tendency away
from universal art museums like the Louvre towards
more specialized art museums. We have recently
been involved in the planning of the Rubin Museum
of Art in New York, a museum focused exclusively on
Tibetan and other Himalayan art that has just opened.
And we are currently working on a major one-artist
museum in Philadelphia, dedicated to presenting the
work of Alexander Calder, who is best known for his
mobile sculpture suspended from the ceiling.
Idea museums, where the focus is on ideas rather
than collections, began in the late 20th century but
show signs of continuing to develop in the new
millennium. Our firm has done extensive planning for
a projected Museum of the African Diaspora in San
Francisco, where the spread of Homo sapiens from
Africa will begin the story, and for the projected
National Museum for Human Rights in Winnipeg,
Canada. Like the Museum of Tolerance in Los
Angeles or the Memorial, Musee pour la Paix in Caen,
France, the proposed Museum for Human Rights in
Winnipeg is to be an institution that will present
exhibitions and other programs grouped around a
central inspiring idea, rather than any permanent
collections.
Meanwhile in downtown Manchester we produced
the Functional Brief for the expansion and renovation
of the Manchester Art Gallery that the architectural
firm of Michael Hopkins designed, and we helped to
develop the concept for Urbis, a very interesting 21stcentury institution that is an idea museum about the
experience of living in cities. The concept has been
only partially realized, and it remains to be seen
whether this first iteration of the idea will succeed, but
certainly the potential for an urban museum that is
about urban living itself is promising.
 19 
BRIEF 25
January 2005
Museums that express what we call the first voice of
the peoples whose culture they present are also
important new developments in our time. The
National Museum of the American Indian had already
established a reputation for such exhibitions at its
original branch in New York, but is going to
accomplish this goal much more thoroughly at its new
headquarters on the Mall in Washington, where it has
just opened a major new building designed by
Canadian native architect Harold Cardinal. In Paris
the Musee du Quai Branly has similarly been
conceived as a museum that will present the art of
indigenous peoples around the world from their point
of view.
As I have mentioned before in Korea, the impact of
these changes on the exhibition process that I have
documented at length in my 545-page book, The
Manual of Museum Exhibitions, has been a
transformation in the way that exhibitions are made:
Still another development that has its roots in the 20 th
century but appears be gathering strength and
complexity in our time is the presentation of
collections as visible storage, thereby facilitating
research from the most serious scholars researching
theses and books to the secondary school student
trying to study an assignment. The Natural History
Museum in London has recently opened the first
phase of its Darwin Center, in which hundreds of
thousands of specimens will be visibly accessible to
interested visitors, accompanied by knowledgeable
guides.
Virtual Exhibitions
Perhaps the most predictable transformation of our
experiences in urban museums of the early 21st
century is the advent of virtual exhibitions on line.
Increasingly today, actual exhibitions in the museum
building must be accompanied by virtual counterparts
on the web, but in addition museums are finding
ways to present information and images on line as
virtual exhibitions that reach many hundreds of
thousands of users who may never get to the actual
museum.
We may now see museum visitors as participants in
a continuum of relationship with a museum,
beginning with their discovery of the institution’s
programs on the web, followed by a visit to the
museum itself (which may be many years later if the
web user is far away), and then sustained after the
visit by continuing access to the museum’s web site
and internet programs. Museums must now plan their
programming with this continuum in mind.

Only a few years ago – and still in some quarters
– traditional museum exhibitions were conceived
by curators who chose the artifacts and wrote the
text that was presented to a passive audience.

Most contemporary exhibitions, however, are far
more complex, as curators have been joined not
just by exhibition designers, but by persons
responsible for the audio-visual productions,
educators, conservators, financial administrators
and security personnel, all of whom have to be
creatively involved in the exhibition in order for it
to be a success.

More demanding, but more satisfactory in its
results, is the interactive exhibition that takes
account of its audience before, during and after
the exhibition, and gives them a chance to
participate in the exhibition, either through
selection of objects to study from a visible
storage presentation, or from interactive
computer programs on screen.

The real frontier today, however, is what I have
called inter-creativity, an approach to exhibitions
that takes account of the community of origin of
the works of art, specimens, artifacts or ideas
that are being shown in the exhibition.
Communities of origin might be the artists of a
conventional fine art exhibition, or the community
of scientists or historians concerned with the
exhibition’s subject matter, but they might also be
the ethnic group who are the current practitioners
or heirs of the culture or civilization that is being
featured in the exhibition. This is a particularly
powerful approach for first voice museums where
the way in which those people see their culture
may be given equal expression with the way in
which scientists or historians see it.
This is an exciting moment in the history of museums,
and promises to continue to be even moreso as the
21st century continues. Museums in Asia, including
Korea, are already in the forefront of these
developments, and undoubtedly will be among the
sources of even more original ideas and
developments in the years ahead.
 20 
BRIEF 25
January 2005
Is Identity an Issue in Exhibition Design?
Yani Herreman
CIEP. Facultad de Arquitectura
UNAM, Vice President, Executive Council. ICOM
Identity is a contemporary issue that has become
undeniable in museum practice. Essentially related to
the much discussed concept of Intangible Heritage,
identity is a complex concept in a world that is
witnessing constant social changes, many of them
triggered by an unprecedented amount of migration
movements caused by economical and political
reasons. On the other hand, today’s world is
permanently
linked
through
contemporary
computerized systems and as Beck words it, our
world “has never before had, at a local level, more
interdependence and interpretation of the world.”
Historically, museum exhibitions have been the
contact between the “outer world”, the lay man, and a
mostly unknown “inner” universe, accessed only by a
few, acting as an emotional threshold.
There are many ways to approach exhibitions. For
some educators exhibitions have a sole mission: their
educational value. For others, exhibitions have been,
and still are, very much instruments, and part of,
ways of maintaining power systems. Others support
the idea of exhibitions as spaces to enhance
sensations, feelings, perceptions whereas a newer
trend sees in museum exhibitions a cultural mediator,
a link between society and the reservoir of meanings
and knowledge deposited in a museum.
These two issues triggered my interest. First in
museums and, as an architect and designer, in
exhibitions. Why? I wanted to see if there was a
connection between both…and if so, how it took
place. This paper is the result of my research.
Museums and their exhibitions have expanded in
such a way during the second half of the twentieth
century that this phenomenon has become one of its
cultural characteristics. This explosion has exposed
the museum’s concept to new analysis, such as the
one carried out by the anthropomodernism school
that focuses on the decadence of Art and its final
disappearance…together with museums. Why have
museums attracted the attention of such a varied and
rich assemblage of disciplines and first class scholars?
I hope that the text will help us understand the role of
identity in a significant/meaningful exhibition space,
by explaining how:
1) A designed space is the end product of
conscious or unconscious process.
2) This action is carried out in order to communicate
or transmit, not necessarily knowledge as such,
but emotional experiences.
3) The process may enhance dialogue between
groups of different cultural identities.
Because Museums are depositories of objects,
knowledge and meanings.
What do I mean by identity?
Introduction
Some of you might be thinking: what does identity
have to do with me, a designer that abides by visual
and aesthetic rules? My answer would be: much
more than you are aware of.
It is a given, that museums approach communication
as one of their main objectives. ICOM’s definition
clearly states this: “A museum is a non profit making,
permanent institution in the service of society and its
development, and open to the public, which acquires,
conserves, researches, communicates and exhibits,
for the purpose of study, education and enjoyment,
material evidence of people and their environment.”
But even though communication has always been
one of the museum’s missions, it has become of
crucial importance, in its current raison d´être.
Present social circumstances require exhibitions to
assume their unique position in the dialectical relation
between society and museums. Approaching
exhibition design through an interdisciplinary and
transdisciplinary process helps to achieve this
mission.
To be able to understand the importance of identity
within the exhibition universe and the close
relationship between identity and design, please
allow me to clarify certain basic aspects that include
psychological, social and cultural issues.
My point is that a designed space is the end product
of conscious or unconscious processes that are
greatly influenced by the designer’s own identity and
social reality as much as the audience’s.
 21 
BRIEF 25
January 2005
According to Ericsson “Today, research in identity is
as important, as sexuality was in Freud’s time”.
Unfortunately, in design there has been little attention
paid to identity, at least in relation to space and its
use.
The same author
the individual with
persistent sense
sense of sharing
others.”
Individuals and social groups process these issues
and reorder them, according to social determinants
and those cultural projects implanted in their social
structure and their spatial and temporal universe”6
Museum exhibitions must understand these
contemporary social patterns in order to design
meaningful space to the group it is meant for. Beauty
for the sake of beauty, design for design’s sake, is no
longer valid in museum exhibitions if we want them to
be significant to different groups.
defines identity as “the relation of
his group with the connotation of a
of being “one” and a persistent
certain essential characters with
Objects
As an individual, I have a different identity from
anyone else.
What do museum exhibitions display? Objects, real
things, artifacts or specimens? all or none of them?
According to ICOM’s ICOFOM museological
terminology, “object” is “the smallest element of
material culture which has a recognizable and
recognized function in itself.” Artifact, on the other
hand, is defined as “any object made by man,
especially those which were made through technical
processes”. Thing is defined by ICOFOM as
“everything or being - mostly non living being – which
exists, concrete or abstract, real or virtual, known or
unknown.”
We don’t know of a people without a name, language
or culture where there are no distinctions made
between “me and the other”, “us and them”.
Knowledge of oneself is never totally separated from
the need to be known by others in specific ways .
Blanca Montevechio, an Argentinian psychoanalist,
says: ”identity is closely related to the ideals (in
function), culture, believes, myths and history of an
ethnic group. All these elements, to which language
is added as an essential factor, are constituencies of
individual identity and the characteristic bondage
between individuals with entities like “nation” or
“state”.
Museums then, have an enormous amount of
“objects” and “things” that, through professional
practices, become a collection. A collection that
has an order, a sequence and…a meaning. An
assigned meaning.
Human beings develop identity patterns through their
living experience; through insertion into a given
cultural tradition and its concrete social relations. This
is a crucial element that shapes, as never before,
today’s society where there is a weakening of our
known social tissue.
These premises hold true for
designers as social individuals and their target
groups. Understanding them, museum exhibitions
may then help social cohesion of an individual or
group of individuals by enhancing a sense of social
belonging.
To exist, an object needs interaction with someone.
This is the only way that it may acquire a meaning, “a
sign” which is a unit-of meaning. (Taborsky) In an
exhibition, objects are assigned a meaning which will
be received by the viewer. This process, quite
complex, has been seriously and systematically
researched by Semiotics. Every individual and group
of individuals transfers a meaning to objects, or
should I say, meanings.
Museum exhibitions confront individuals or
group of individual’s with their beliefs, myths and
history through reification of objects that
symbolize ideals, beliefs, and histories. I would
finally like to end this section by quoting Castells:
“From a sociological point of view, all identities are
constructed. The core issue is how, from where, by
whom and for what purpose.
Objects cease to be a mere material thing to
become, within each of us, a mental object that
transcends reality.
These recreations derive from social identity. Quoting
Edmund Husserl’s terminology “An object is
apprehended
by
the
sum
of
comprehension/comprehensive
aspects
like
perceiving, remembering, imagining. All of those
things make us have a sensation, a perception, an
intuition of the object”. A museum exhibition designer
must understand these key elements while designing
an exhibition.
The construction of identities uses history,
geography, biology, productive and reproductive
institutions, collective memory and personal
fantasies, power apparatus and religious
revelations.
 22 
BRIEF 25
January 2005
An object becomes significant only in relation to a
group of individuals or that which is called “social
reality”. While designing exhibitions as significant
spaces, the designer may promote the object’s
meaning through good curatorship and design
special exhibition techniques and based on
knowledge of the social reality of the target audience.
Individuals watching the exhibition will then be able
process and reorder their exhibition experience,
according to their social structures.
Museum exhibition spaces have been used in a very
neutral sort of way. Most of them could be considered
as “no places”, if we use Marc Auge´s terminology.
That is, places that have no identity of their own, that
do not convey a sense of belonging, do not really
have a meaning other than circulating. And yet
“Identity is a space of meanings”. ( T. Parsons),
Space, natural or built by man, is the sum of
emotional, mental and physical sensations
reacting before heights, levels, color, textures,
light and shadow. This feature gives it the
opportunity to become a unique conveyor of
intangible heritage.
This approach, based on anthropological concepts, is
an important step in the relationship between objects,
audience and society’s research in the museum field.
Conveying not only material culture but crucial
intangible social issues as well, (such as a sense of
identity, belonging, beauty, understanding and nature)
justice is something that museums exhibitions must
become aware of in order to implement innovative
solutions. Thus creating socially-significant exhibition
spaces is one of them.
Hilde Heine´s expression about museums as “a shift
away from object centeredness to emphasis on
promotion of experience”10 is based on a correct use
of space. In this sense it links with architecture and
with Alain Gauthier’s definition of Site Specificity:
“within a given space, not necessarily linear, site
specificity is a crucial communicating and identity
component and constitutes a significant experience”.
Consciously or unconsciously, museums have
moved on from an object-collection centered
institution to an educative resource to a
communication medium ® to a more and complex
emotional experience.
Museum exhibition design, including its involved
space, may then be very important in strengthening
and boosting different cultures and their heritage. To
achieve this goal we must dare to explore and use
more meaningful devices as we thrive for a more
emotional experience in the visitor.
From the museum object to a taxonomical collection
or group of objects to the educational process based
on objects which then became the most relevant
feature to the communicational process, taking the
object as the emitting element ® to the audience, as
a receiving body, which became the focus of study
and now ® to the dialectical relationship between
objects, as social actors and observers and as social
actors as well.
To this end I suggest we rely more on psychological
and perceptual resources than in high-tech. “Visual
representations, relations with our body, senses and
minds, are key elements in symbolizing and
sustaining national communal bonds. Such
representations are not just reactive they are also
purposefully creative and they can generate new
social and political formations.” (Brian Wallis)
To summarize: The interaction process between
objects and observers should be approached from a
transdiciplinary point of view in order to fully
understand it. Designers must use this information to
fulfill the goal of creating a significant exhibition
space.
Contemporary intangible heritage
and exhibitions
We now reach a second, extremely important issue.
Exhibitions are capable of conveying past and
present; rococo as well as “installations”. But are we
as successful with contemporary social groups? In
this sense, I immediately think of the Chicano Culture
in which the original Mexican cultural patterns have
been transformed into something different that is
neither American nor Mexican. This new social group
has its own cultural behavior and values. How can
exhibitions apprehend these tangible and intangible
parts of identity and make them significant and
meaningful in a given space?
Identity, Objects, Museums
and Exhibitions: Using Space
Space, from an exhibition design point of view, is not
a void. Quite the opposite, it is a place full of
meanings. Space embraces material and intangible
things. Space holds objects and people and the way
they interact, therefore it should be one of exhibition’s
design main resources.
 23 
BRIEF 25
January 2005
This living culture, this new identity is not necessarily
what governments and other institutions have in mind.
Perhaps its is not what they would like to be thought
of or associated with. Brian Wallis bluntly words as
follows: “today’s nations enfranchise exhibitions, just
as they do department stores. Finally, rather than
expanding our understanding, these narrow our view
of a country to a benign, if exotic, fairy tale.”13 The
danger in this approach is not only a lack of scientific
or academic rigueur but also a danger when
misleading or narrowing a view on society or a part of
society. It is the role of museums and specially
exhibitions to enhance these new identities patterns,
so rich in their own ways.
a) Museum exhibition design, as architecture, is
multidisciplinary and transdisciplinary. It includes
knowledge from other disciplines to create its
conceptual body. Meaningful or significant space,
such as in a museum exhibition, is the socialized
individual’s environment in a given time, in an
objective and contextual situation, where
psychomotive dialogues take place.
b) Exhibition design, as architecture and urbanism,
is an area of temporal and spatial dialectical
knowledge.
“The Lived Image”, written by Juhani Palasmaa,
deals with architecture’s mental task as the structure
that allows us to perceive ourselves as being in the
world, of situating ourselves, of recognizing ourselves.
I believe the same holds true for exhibitions. Space is
an identity factor.
Jameson has expressed that “We are before a sort of
mutation of space and we, as society, are not yet
wholly adapted in respect to this “evolution” that has
also affected objects and, of course, the
individual.”14 I ask myself: has it changed within the
museum exhibition context?
Museum exhibitions have a very important social role
to play, not only as fashionable and profitable blockbusters or fund raising entities. Not even as didactic
resources but as true social and cultural mediators
that promote society to understand and respect the
Other and Oneself.
I then ask fellow museum exhibition designers: have
we been able to fully adapt to this new view of
“identity,” so different from the bright colored
“Mexican pink” and the other folk art fallacies?
Today, in a “turbulent environment” (Mario Robirosa)
the individual is marked by transformation within a
society that is also changing permanently as the
Chicano case or the Turkish and Indian communities
in Germany, the UK and Sweden. These group’s
experiences pressure us into thinking about the
individual and society in terms of its creativity and
mutability and not the contrary.
Before closing, a few words to my fellow designers.
Most of us are more on the aesthetic or practical field
of museum exhibition design. We do our task as best
as we can and leave the philosophy and theory to
others. However, I believe that we do share this
responsibility. We don’t all have to embark on
research or become theoreticians, but I do suggest
we become much more aware of what is at stake
when we carry out our design tasks. I have the
highest respect for the marvelous activity we develop
within museums: to act as mediators, facilitators of
recreations…and experiences. With the help of our
own creativity we will help others to experience, learn,
feel, recognize themselves and others. To achieve
that, we must be aware not only of beauty, fashion,
design, color, and the rest of our usual resources, but
also of true respect towards what we are working with;
serious research into the theme we are to display,
and the audience for whom it is meant.
Stemming from the above statement, exhibitions
acquire a crucial role, if and only if, they find new
ways to relate socially. In order to achieve that,
museum scholars and especially museum exhibition
designers must be, at least, aware of this social
responsibility.
Museum exhibitions have become sites of
experiences and space is a key element. If we are
able to design a significant or meaningful space, the
socialized person will apprehend it as the sum of its
mental and emotional elements. The Mexican
architect García Camacho, in his “Towards a Theory
of Space”15 has centered his analysis on
architectural and urban space. Yet I find the same
components in a museum exhibition:
Our responsibility is serious but the satisfaction of
achieving a good exhibition will be worth our trouble.
 24 
BRIEF 25
January 2005
Plan:
A Worldwide Online Platform On Exhibition Making
Initiative group Exhibition Manual
Anna Blamanhof 9,
2343 KT Oegstgeest
The Netherlands
Tel. +31-71-5174631
Fax +31-71-5171722
E-mail: projectb.meeter@tiscali.nl
handbook was developed out of a pedagogical need
of the Reinwardt Academy, faculty of Museology of
the Amsterdam School of Art, in The Netherlands, to
have a clear handbook in which students could, in a
systematic manner, find both the 1) development
process and the 2) contribution of the different partdisciplines to this process. The lack of such a manual,
in the national and in the international literature, gave
the impetus for the manual to be written. The
handbook was developed by Han Meeter (lecturer in
exhibitions) and Jan Verhaar (lecturer in project
management), with support of various professional
lecturers in specialist areas.
Executive Summary
Lecturers of the Reinwardt Academy, Amsterdam,
Jan Verhaar and Han Meeter initiated the authorship
and publication of “Exhibition Model”. From the
perspective of their professorships at that time, they
anticipated an academic need by making their own
publication regarding the expertise of the exhibition
field. The publication "Exhibition Project Model"
appeared in August 1990. In the meantime, that this
publication was eagerly anticipated is proven by its
being translated into several languages and therefore
has became a standard work in the exhibition field.
Since there is a continuing necessity to
professionalize exhibition making, in 2003 there was
an initiative group established, through Han Meeter
and consisting of specialists in the field, with the goal
of giving a contemporary form and content to the
publication. For the Exhibition manual, a plan was
developed with a new mission, form and organization.
The most significant distinction with the existing book
is that it will be in digital form and will have a wider
target audience. Thus, compared to the existing
handbook, will expand the availability of the manual
up to an international level, more a platform. Digital,
dynamic and on-line promises many valuable
advantages: always accessible, up-to-date and
relevant for diverse target groups. The new site will
be built in layers, with an pedagogical core combined
with an interactive discussion forum. The whole
interactives with sectors of the industry, with the
intention to establish a dynamic development in the
core of knowledge and insight to the model.
National and international use
In the 1990s the project model fulfilled its mission.
Educational programs and museums, not in the initial
target group, began to employ the handbook such as
the University of Amsterdam. For the museums, the
Project Model was a good incentive to develop their
own model. Internationally, with emphasis on the 3rd
world, the Project Model proved to be fulfilling a
special need and was translated into Indonesian,
Vietnamese, Arabic and Chinese. The international
interest was focused by the inclusion of the budgeting
systems of the Project Model in the publication
Exhibition budgeting of the International Council of
Museums (ICOM).
2.
Although the Project Model has been up dated over
the years, it is necessary to be adjusted to the latest
developments and to make it more in depth in the
field of exhibitions.
With this basic idea, the WORLDWIDE ONLINE
PLATFORM ON EXHIBITION MAKING is pertinent
for students, institutions and industry specialists.
1.
Opportunities
The most important reasons are the following:

Background
In 1990 the Project Model Exhibitions appeared; a
handbook for the organization of exhibitions. This
 25 
The availability of new knowledge and insight on
the areas of organizing exhibitions and
specifically concerning not only with semiotics,
perception and museology, but also the related
BRIEF 25
January 2005
areas
of
design,
ergonomics,
project
management, knowledge of materials, preventive
conservation,
security,
lighting,
durability,
marketing- and visitor studies, etc.

The rise of new insights on how to communicate
through the medium of exhibitions centered on
the idea of “exhibition language”.

The introduction of digital and improved forms of
multi-media and experience related exhibition
methods in the exhibition world.

The increased need by students, especially for
those who want to specialize in this field, for a
more in depth summarizing of the corpus of
knowledge and insights than is presented in the
current Project Model Exhibitions.

The possibility to make the manual appropriate
for a broader target group than only students,
and to foresee the above-established national
and international needs for a summary handbook.


At the same time, there is a great need on the part of
the specialists to have easy availability to knowledge
of the latest developments within the field. Although
there are many relevant publications, mostly in trade
journals, this source, through its mixed approaches
and lack of an opening up-mechanism is in practice
difficult to access.
Additionally, there is a great need for colleagues to
discuss their areas of expertise. Although there are
regularly organized symposia, conferences and
lectures about specific aspects of the field, there is a
lack of easy-to-access discussion platforms spanning
all aspects of the field.
3.


In practice, the knowledge in the exhibition field
in these institutions often is still limited or
incompletely available. The reason for this is that
most staffers have no training in this area and
have to learn the profession in practice.
Therefore, many staffers are specialists in one
area of organizing exhibitions, but have little or
no insight in other areas.
These problems are not unique to Dutch
institutions. In many institutions in

other Western countries the situation is the same.
The problems are greatest in third world
countries and in many Eastern European
countries. In these countries there is a need for
systematic basic information, as well as, more in
depth knowledge in all the areas of contemporary
exhibition organization and building.
Other Initiatives
Out of a study of literature it appears that next to the
Project Model Exhibitions few other manuals exist
that cover the whole area of exhibition making. In the
following overview the most important are sited. See
appendix 1 for a full list of general literature about
exhibitions.
The increasing
need
to professionalize
institutions which organize exhibitions. This
means institutions that often commission large
exhibition projects and/or in their own facility
make smaller exhibitions, as in museums, visitor
centers,
science
centers,
corporations,
amusement parks, events organizers and
governments.


project. Many specialists have an inclination from
out of their own backgrounds how to give form to
a project.






Belcher. M, Exhibitions in Museums (Leicester
1991)
Hall, M., On Display: A Design Grammar for
Museum Exhibitions (London 1987)
Lord. B., G.D. Lord, (eds.) The Manual of
Museum Exhibitions (Walnut Creek CA, 2002)
Shaw R.P., Exhibition Techniques: A Summary of
Exhibition Practice (New York 1940)
Thompson J. Manual of Curatorship (London
1984)
Velarde, G., Designing Exhibitions (London 1988)
Washburn, W.E Museum Exhibition in: M.S.
Shapiro ed., The Museum. A Reference Guide
(New York 1990)
Witteborg, L. P., Good Show!: A Practical Guide
for Temporary Exhibitions (Washington 1991)
Except for Lord’s The Manual of Museum Exhibitions
all of the above listed publications are not of a recent
date and no more up-to-date in terms of
contemporary insights in this field of expertise.
Besides, most of the publications point out only the
practical aspects of the exhibition building, such as
building showcases and the handling of objects. A
total overview covering all aspects of making
exhibitions is not given.
The necessity to deepen and expand the
knowledge of specialists in the profession, as
well as mutual awareness of each other's areas.
In practice, every different specialist has often no
unity in the manner of approach to an exhibition
project. Additionally, there are few standards in
the area of terminology. The most important
reason is a lack of generally accepted
approaches as to how to implement an exhibition
 26 
BRIEF 25
January 2005
Lord’s manual does treat all the important aspects
and is up-to-date. None the less, there are a number
of confines in this publication:



The manual is only published in book form
and will soon be out dated falling out of pace
with the rapid developments in the industry.
It is, in comparison with the Project Model
Exhibitions, less systematically constructed
and therefore less useful for students.

4.
Although it has close to 550 pages, most of
the aspects are relatively superficially treated.
This is consistent within the limited space of
a printed manual, if it wants to remain clear.
The manual has an Anglo Saxon and
specifically North American orientation.
Intervention
To foresee in the needs stated in the aforementioned
chapter “Opportunities”, Han Meeter has taken the
initiative to bring together a workgroup of experts in
the exhibition field to examine in which way a broader
and more elaborated Exhibition Manual could be
established. The following specialists are members of
the workgroup “Exhibition Manual”.








Han Meeter, lecturer exhibitions, Reinwardt
Academy, faculty of Museology of the
Amsterdam School of the Arts and director of the
museological consultancy, Projectburo Meeter,
Oegstgeest, The Netherlands.
Jan van Seventer, manager for concept and
design, Gielissen Interiors and Exhibitions,
Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Karin Rietbroek, freelance exhibition designer
and director of Rietbroek Museale Antwoorden
(Museale
Answers),
Amsterdam,
The
Netherlands.
Nils van Keulen, senior account manager
Communications,
DST
Experience
Communications, Baarn, The Netherlands.
Richard van Herwijnen, managing director design
office, Total Environmental Design (Total Identity),
Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Theo Thomassen, director of the Reinwardt
Academy, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Antoinette Visser, department Research and
Consultancy, Netherlands Institute for Cultural
Heritage, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Barbara Krulik, director of Krulik Cultural
Consulting Services, exhibition and management
consultant for cultural institutions, Amsterdam,
The Netherlands.
In a number of discussion sessions, the following
goals were set for a "WORLDWIDE ONLINE
PLATFORM ON EXHIBITION MAKING".
 27 
BRIEF 25
January 2005
Directed towards development
Mission
The initiative is intended as a “platform for the further
developing and professionalizing of the field” and not
as the establishment of standards.
To bring together for purposes of study and
development of the profession the corpus of
knowledge and insights in the field of organizing and
composing exhibitions; and to make this corpus
broadly accessible. Thus, the initiative contributes:


Promote innovation
Next to the function as a platform, the initiative can
through the cross-pollination of knowledge and
insight provided by colleagues out of various
disciplines actively promote innovation in the field.
to mobilize all the available knowledge in the
field.
to further the professionalization of the field.
Through promoting the efficiency in making
exhibitions and through enlarging the effectiveness of
exhibitions, the platform will directly contribute to the
opening up of the cultural heritage for a broad public.
Dynamic
The platform is not intended to be innovative in a
technical sense or as an interface, but rather in the
sense that it is dynamically built, in other words
continuously updated through the professional field
and adjusted to the latest developments in the
profession.
Level of ambition
Orientation point
The initiative will establish a platform for the available
knowledge and insight in the field and by that serve
as a reference and orientation point for students and
colleagues. Next to the reality of the practice,
considerable attention will be given to the
development of knowledge and the building of a
theoretical-scientific basis. To attain this a cooperation is sought with representatives of relevant
target groups, specialists, other digital initiatives,
professional organizations and other institutions in
the profession.
International
Although the initiative is Dutch, the platform is meant
to give the international knowledge and insights in the
area of exhibitions and should be internationally
accessible. It will be, therefore, in English.
Easy accessibility
Given the broad target group, from student to
specialist, as well as national and international, the
initiative deserves a publication form that provides
the greatest possible scope and the easiest
accessibility available.
Scope
The platform is intended to view the exhibition
profession in its broadest. That is to include the field
of commercial exhibitions, also called “tradeshows”
next to the field of cultural exhibitions since in both
types of exhibitions the same approach is used.
Independent
The initiative is ideally set up. Political, commercial or
any other interests may not in any way influence the
content and composition. This independence is a
condition for the exploitation of the platform.
Actual
The platform is intended to give the “best possible
present state of the profession in relation to the
knowledge and the insights in the field of exhibition
making". Because this knowledge and vision is
constantly being developed, the platform does not
pretend to be the “truth”, but to give the most recent
knowledge and insights.
Target groups
A. Students
Young people that want to enter the profession often
have little or no background knowledge and only
limited idea of the complex character of making
professional exhibitions. Some students want to do
more theoretical research in the profession and its
development.
 28 
BRIEF 25
January 2005
For this target group, the platform serves to give
enough information to organize a simple exhibition
responsibly and professionally. This could be
described as the basic knowledge that is required to
become a specialist in the profession. Naturally, this
knowledge has to be “state of the art” and show the
latest developments.



The platform must offer the following information for
this target group:



A structure how one approaches an
exhibition project.
Basic knowledge on all the areas that have to
do with making an exhibition.
Provide a repository for discussions of the
latest developments and available literature.
Framework
Given the above listed ambitions that the platform:

B. Institutions
As stated above, institutions that frequently
commission large exhibition projects and/or make
smaller exhibitions in their own facility such as:
museums,
visitor
centers,
science
centers,
corporations, amusement parks, events organizers
and governments.




Next to the need mentioned in the chapter
“Opportunities” the platform should provide the
following for this target group:





How, in practice, an exhibition project is
organized and structured in an organization.
How to commission an exhibition project.
Basic knowledge and insight on various
areas, supplementing the knowledge and
insight that staffers have from their previous
training.
Updating and testing of the already available
knowledge to the last development in the
profession.
A file that consists of presentations of
companies that are active in various aspects
of the profession in relation with the eventual
engagement of the specialists or subcontractors.
Structure
In light of the necessities of the above mentioned
target groups and to realize the dynamic character, a
layered design for the site is proposed.
Layer 1
This layer forms the main structure of the site and
describes the development process of an exhibition
in phases. All the relevant aspects in each phase are
summarized in the form of entries.
As mentioned above under “Opportunities”, the
platform should provide the following to this target
group:

should give the best possible present state of
the profession in relation to the knowledge
and the insights in the field of exhibition
making,
facilitates further development of the
profession,
be as dynamic and innovative as possible,
must have a broad accessibility,
it should be published “on-line”. This
simplifies not only the access, but also the
possibilities that comments from 3rd parties
can be incorporated, updating done, case
studies added, etc.
An editorial committee that in the first instance shall
care for the composition of the site, shall monitor all
comments and where relevant incorporate these. The
intent is that this is a constant process after the
publication of the first edition of the site on the
internet.
C. Specialists

Possibilities to discuss the profession and the
future of it (necessity to contemplate or
reflect).
Quick insight in alternative solutions for a
problem that one encounters during the
course of a project (i.e.: how have others
solved it).
Fast access to a file of companies that are
active in the field (directory function) in a
search for sub-contractors and specialists in
specific areas.
Complementing knowledge from various
specialties.
Insight into the latest developments.
 29 
BRIEF 25
January 2005
Layer 2
The content of layer 2 is an elaboration of all the
various aspects mentioned as entries in layer 1 in the
form of articles. In every article the most important
basic information concerning the aspect is described
(where possible supported with illustrations, plans
and case studies.) These articles will be written by
internationally recognized specialists and should
have an academic level. The editors will make the
essential adjustments between the different articles
for consistency. All the articles will have internet links
that direct the reader to general relevant literature
and articles on the subject. Every article will have the
required bibliography of the most important literature
in the specific field of the article.
In Appendix 2 a preliminary list is given of subjects
that will be included in article form in layer 2.
Layer 1 and 2 jointly constitute the “corpus of basic
knowledge in the field of exhibitions".
Layer 3
Layer 3 is a discussion layer where third parties can
contribute to the information given in the layers 1 and
2 or can add information, insights and case studies.
This discussion layer is monitored by the editors.
Relevant additions will be added to the articles in
layer 2. Thus, the corpus of basic knowledge is
constantly up-dated to reflect the latest developments
and views in the profession.
Layer 4
This layer gives the opportunity for companies to
present themselves within every subject category. A
global directory will arise, where parties in the market
can find one another.
In model 1 the above structure is summarized.
 30 
BRIEF 25
January 2005
Model 1, Structure
MAIN STRUCTURES IN PHASES WITH ENTRIES
L
E
M
M
ARTICLES
DISCUSSION
MARKET
DIRECTORY
Editor controlled corpus of basic knowledge; only accessible to subscribers
Discussion and presentation layers; access open.
The technical program shall setup this structure so
that searches and coherences can be searched
vertically, horizontally as well as diagonally.
Therefore, the latest techniques to make great
quantities of information through the internet
accessible will be used. The user-friendliness of the
interface will be a priority in designing the program.
Layer
Target group
• Students
• Institutions
• Specialists
Layer 1
Main
Structure
Primary
Secondary
Secondary
In model 2 the coherence between the above
structure and the target groups is shown.
Model 2
Product/market matrix, where the products (layers)
for each target group is prioritized in order of the
primary, secondary or no importance.
Layer 2
Articles
Layer 3
Discussion
Primary
Primary
Primary
Secondary
Primary
Primary
It will be impracticable for many users to have the
information only available digitally. For students layer
1, the main structure, shall also be available in
printed form. Layer 1 and 2 will be published on CD
and in book form for institutions and specialists. A low
retail price will be set for these printed forms and
CD's.
Layer 4
MarketDirectory
None
Primary
Primary
subsequent consultation. The newsletter and the
archive will be accessible only to subscribers.
Additionally, the site could offer:

Layer 3, the discussion layer, will be compiled into a
newsletter containing the most relevant discussions.
This newsletter shall be stored in a digital archive for
 31 
An agenda of international events in the field
of exhibition making, such as important
symposia and lectures. Organizers of such
symposia and lectures will be requested to
place an abstract or summary of the event on
the site.
BRIEF 25





5.
January 2005

A listing of offerings for (internationally)
touring exhibitions.
Reviews of important exhibitions
training courses
commented lists of new exhibition materials
and techniques
Advertisements for employment opportunities.
Responsibilities:
 To facilitate and manage the knowledge
sharing process in the discussion layer. The
moderator functions as discussion leader by
summarizing and stimulating discussions or
finalizing them.
 Writing the monthly newsletter.
Organization

Board
An alternative could be to connect the project to a
(international) organization in the cultural field.
Editorial office
Editorial committee
A small editorial staff could be responsible for the
preparation of the policy and the implementation of
the work. This staff could consist of:
The
editorial
committee
could
consist
of
representatives of organizations and international
experts in the field. The committee is composed of
approximately six members, paid on an hourly basis,
and has the following responsibilities:
Director/Chief Editor
Responsibilities:
 The designing of the main structure of the
site in cooperation with an editorial
committee (see below).
 Maintaining the main editing.
 Commissioning and directing the authors.
 Steering and chairing of the editorial
committee.
 General management of the editorial office.
 Preparing the annual report.
 Maintaining external contacts.
Model 3 Organization
Secretary/Administrative Assistant
Responsibilities:
 To give secretarial support.
 To build a central bibliography and
standardize
the
internet
links
and
bibliography of the various authors.
 To make minutes of meetings.
 To supervise the archive of the editorial office.
 To handle the administration.
 To handle the bookkeeping.
To realize and exploit the project, a foundation could
be founded. The board could consist of
representatives of the target groups, coming from
umbrella organizations and interested institutions.

Moderator



Jointly with the chief editor providing the
overall structure of the site.
Jointly with the chief editor editing the articles
written by experts.
Deciding, based upon proposals of the chief
editors, which improvements coming out of
the discussion layer should be introduced
into the corpus of basic knowledge.
In Model 3 the organization is summarized.
Council of Supervision
Policy determination
Director/Chief editor
Policy preparation
Editing layers 1 and 2
Moderator
Facilitating discussions in layer 3
Editorial commission
Advising on layers
1 and 2
Secretary
Secretarial/Administrative/Bibliographic
 32 
BRIEF 25
6.
January 2005
Communication
Appendix 1
To realize the site, it is important to build a reputation.
To be properly visible in the dynamic surrounding of
websites, a communication plan has to be developed
and executed, which will focus on identity
development. Concurrently, it is necessary to design
a professional website. Only in this manner is it
possible to receive sufficient hits, visitors and
subscribers. Special attention has to be given to the
ergonomics and the graphic design of the interface to
facilitate visitors’ search for specific information.
General literature on exhibitions
In connection with the realization of sufficient name
recognition it is essential to develop an identity in the
form of a recognizable and understated image,
thereby, giving credibility and a professional look to
the project. The site will develop from image branding
its overall stylistic identity. It will use this image
branding consistently for all its graphic elements, i.e.
the website, letterhead, envelopes, labels, business
cards, files and templates for presentations, contracts,
memos and reports. The identity has to be developed
immediately after the founding, in combination with
the house style of the site. So, from the start of the
project, authors, colleagues, organizations and
companies can be approached from this own identity.

7.








Exploitation
To exploit the site the first two layers (main structure
and articles) should only be accessible to subscribers.
To encourage discussion and the dynamic character
of the site, the layers 3 (discussion) and 4 (directory)
should be open.



At this moment we are thinking of a subscription fee
of € 75 (US$ 90) per year. Students should pay a
lower prize: € 20 (US$ 24) a year.

Other sources of income could be:




advertisements from support market and
vendors
sponsors
profit from printed publications, CD's and
download


Based on first calculations of the exploitation and
investment costs, and assuming no income from
advertisements, sponsors, publications and students,
the costs will be covered by 2.700 to 3.000
subscribers worldwide.


 33 
101 Ideas from History News - American
Association for State and Local History, 1975.
[151 pp.; ill. ISBN 0-910050-18-X, 820.009]
New Forms of Presentation in Museum Costume
Collections: Proceedings of the Textile day,
Thursday
31
August
1989,
Haags
Gemeentemuseum, The Hague / Textile
Committee, [S.l]: Textile Committee, 1991. [103
pp.: photogr.; 24 cm 260.280]
Technological Development and Industrial
exhibitions 1850 – 1914, Lund 1995.
Arnell, U., I. Hammer & G. Nylöf, Going to
Exhibitions, Riksutställningar (Swedish Travelling
Exhibitions), Stockholm, 1976/1980.
Beek, van G., 'The Museal Gaze and Neutral
Space/De museale blik en de neutrale ruimte',
Op-positions. Commitment and Cultural Identity
in Contemporary Photography, Rotterdam 1990,
17-23.
Belcher, M., Exhibitions in Museums, Leicester
1991.
Bitgood, S., Museum “Fatigue”, 1988.
Burcaw, G.E., Introduction to Museum Work,
Nashville 1983.
Cannon-Brookes, P., 'Orthodoxy and the
interface between the museum object and its
user’, Museum Management and Curatorship 9
(3): 235-239, 1990.
Caulton, T., Hands-on Exhibitions, London 1998.
Chambers, M., ‘Critiquing exhibition criticism’,
Museum News 78 (5): 31-37, 65, 1999.
Feireiss, K., J.L. Cohen, The Art of Architecture
Exhibitions Rotterdam 2001.
Ferguson, B.W., R. Greenberg, & S. Nairne
(eds.), Thinking about Exhibitions, London/New
York 1996.
Hall, M., On Display: A Design Grammar for
Museum Exhibitions, London: Lund Humphries,
1987. [256 pp.: ill.; 31 cm. ISBN 0-85331-455-1,
822.020]
Henderson, A., A.L. Kaeppler, (eds.), Exhibiting
Dilemmas: Issues of Representation and the
Smithsonian, Washington 1996.
Hjorth, J.S., How to Make a Rotten Exhibition,
Stockholm 1971/1984.
Klein, L., Exhibits: Planning and Design, Madison
Square Press, New York, 1986.
Lord, B., G.D. Lord (eds.), The Manual of
Museum Exhibitions, Walnut Creek CA, 2002.
BRIEF 25

















January 2005

Luckhurst, K.W., The Story of Exhibitions,
London, 1951.
Meeter, J., J. Verhaar, Project Model Exhibitions,
Leiden 1989.
Rabinowitz, R., ‘Exhibit as canvas’, Museum
News 70 (2): 34-38. 1991.
Rietbroek, K., Door vorm gegeven. Onderzoek
naar de methodiek in tentoonstellingsvormgeving
in theorie en praktijk [By Design: Researching
Methods of Exhibition Design in Theory and
Practice], doctoraalscriptie Culturele Studies,
Universiteit van Amsterdam, 1999.
Roding, M.J., Praktische adviezen voor de
freelance organisatie van tentoonstellingen
[Practical Advice for Freelance Exhibition
Organizers], SPKO_wegwijsserie nr. 8, Utrecht
1994.
Rook, de G.J., 'De kunst van het tentoonstellen'
[The Art of the Exhibiting], Museumvisie, 1990,
14e jaargang, nr. 1, 17-19.
Rook, de G.J., 'De tentoonstellingsmaker' [The
Exhibitionmaker], Museumvisie, nummer 3/4, z.j.,
105-108.
Schlereth, T.J., ‘A perspective on criticism.
Guidelines for history museum exhibition reviews’,
History News 35 (8): 18-19. 1980.
Schueler, F.W., ‘Storylines and objects,
authenticity in exhibits’, Muse 1 (2): 34-37. 1983.
Shaw, R.P. (introd. by), Exhibition techniques: a
summary of exhibition practice, New York: New
York Museum of Science and Industry, 1940.
[131 pp.: ill.; 27 cm 822.022]
Silverstone, R., ‘The medium is the museum: on
objects and logics in times and spaces’, in:
R.Miles & L.Zavala (eds.), Towards the museum
of the future. New European Perspectives
(London) 149-159, 1994.
Sixsmith, M., Touring Exhibitions, Oxford 1995
Stransky, Z.Z. [et al.], Museum Display, [Ecole
Internationale d'Ete de Museologie, Universite
Jan Evangelista Purkyne a Brno] ; [Musee de
Moravie a Brno]. - [S.l.]: ISSOM (Unesco), 198?.
[84 pp.: ill.; 30 cm 820.031]
Swiecimski, J., ‘Museum exhibitions as an object
of theoretical investigation’, Museum News (10)
211-217, 1987.
Swiecimski, J., 'Truths and untruths in museum
exhibitions', in: D.L. Uzzell (ed.), Heritage
Interpretation, vol. 2 (London) 203-211, 1989.
Taborski, E., ‘The discursive object’, in: S.
Pearce ed., Objects of knowledge. New
Research in Museum Studies 1 (London) 50-77,
1990.
Thompson, J. et al., Manual of Curatorship,
London 1984.




Vergo, P., ‘The rhetoric of display’, in: R. Miles &
L. Zavala (eds.), Towards the museum of the
future. New European perspectives (London)
149-159, 1994.
Velarde, G., Designing Exhibitions, London: The
Design Council, 1988. [188 pp.: ill; 26 cm. ISBN
0-85072-223-3, 820.020]
Volkert, J.W., ‘Monologue to dialogue’, Museum
News 70 (2) 46-48, 1991.
Washburn, W.E., 'Museum Exhibition', in: M.S.
Shapiro ed., The Museum. A Reference Guide
(New York) 199-229, 1990.
Witteborg, L.P., Good show!: A Practical Guide
for Temporary Exhibitions, 2nd ed., Washington:
Smithsonian Institution, 1991. [184 pp.:ill.;26cm ISBN 0-86528-007-X 822.027]
Appendix 2
Preliminary overview of articles that
could be included in level 2
In the overview below a differentiation has been
made in articles of general interest that are not to be
included directly into the main structure (level 1), but
to be presented as general articles that precede
articles of specific importance, which are referred to
in the main structure directly.
General










 34 
Introduction and general explanation on the
manual
Theory of Exhibitions (definitions, approaches,
social relevance, identity, historical development)
Modern developments in exhibition making
Theory and practice of managing exhibitions
projects
(what
is
project
management,
explanation and justification of the phasing as in
setup of main structure of the manual, examples
of alternative phasing possibilities.)
Standards, standardizing and compelled models
(i.e.: Logical framework of the European
Community)
Planning methods
Budgeting methods (prices per square meter,
quotes, budget control, final accounting (closing
books))
Legal aspects (authors rights, insurance,
contracts, customs formalities, risk management,
loan procedures.)
Exhibition policy
Conservation and security in exhibitions
(preventive conservation + burglary, fire and theft
protection)
BRIEF 25





January 2005
Fundraising strategies
Architecture in connection with the designing of
exhibition spaces; especially for new or
renovated museums.
Internet possibilities, as well as concerning the
organization of exhibitions as an exhibitions on
the internet
General compiled bibliography and links
Glossary (definition of terms and various
alternatives uses of terms)
Specific















Summary description per phase and phase
results.
Target groups and goals, also in relation to
marketing aspects.
Content (establishing of the message in relation
to the target groups and mission, content
analysis and vision development, constructing
story line's, object research)
Exhibition language (semiotics, perception,
learned conduct)
Design principles and methods (spatial and
graphic design, color, texture and design
software)
Technical drawings
Ergonomics in exhibitions
Lighting (light design, installation technique,
conservation aspects)
The use of multimedia in exhibitions
Exhibition texts (sorts of texts, how to write them,
graphic and typographical aspects, production
methods)
Exhibition
materials
(durability,
reuse,
conservation aspects)
Transport of objects
Formative and summative visitors studies
Public relations and promotion
Catalogues
 35 